This blog entry was written by Eric, a friend and fellow servant of our Lord. Eric and his family have been members of Mount Zion Road Church for many years. Most importantly however, they are faithful followers of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. I am thankful and blessed that Eric was willing to allow me to post this entry on my website. Eric encourages us to consider the Biblical, true definition of what it is to be a man of God. I pray that you find these words to be edifying in your walk of faith. May we all serve the Lord with integrity, honor and reverence, for the glory of Jesus!
A man of God is one who believes, obeys, and follows Him in every way according to Scripture. Scripture is our ultimate authority for life, and through it, we understand what is required to become a man of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 explains the supreme authority of Scripture in a believer’s life, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of Godmay be complete, equipped for every good work.” This passage teaches us that all discipled Christian men who believe and obey the Word are deemed men of God.
1 Timothy 6:11-22 gives us an overview of the biblical characteristics of a man of God.
Through these verses, we learn that a man of God lives with:
- Integrity as he flees anything to do with false teaching.
- Godliness; he pursues love, righteousness, and peace according to what Jesus taught.
- Righteousness. He follows the Lord’s commands and keeps himself unstained from the sins of the world.
- Generosity with what the Lord has given him.
- Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, which makes one effective for kingdom work.
- Spirit-filled direction.
What are the key traits of a Man of God?
A man of God obeys His Word with love, not living for the things of this life but for the things of eternity, willingly serving God in giving freely of his resources, and gladly suffering as a consequence of his faith. Perhaps Micah 6:8 sums up the man of God in one verse: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul tells Timothy to fight the good fight of faith. From this, we learn that a man of God knows the perseverance necessary to accomplish this lifelong task. The man of God knows he is lost without the Holy Spirit and relies on Him for his walk with Christ. Not by our effort or ability, but by His power and His grace. And as we trip up or fall short, we seek and allow Him to build us back up.
The good fight includes serving Christ by serving others. A man of God does not seek the approval of men but of God; therefore, as he becomes more like Christ, he serves with Christlike compassion.
A man of God is a servant-leader, as is our Lord. A man of God, by his faithful servant leadership, will provide a Christlike witness to unbelievers in his work, relationships, and life as a whole.
How does a Man of God demonstrate faith?
In Luke 11:37-54, Jesus communicated with a Pharisee who admonished Him for not following their rules for washing before a meal. Jesus responded by rebuffing the hypocrites who, “cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness” (v. 39). One lesson that can be gleaned from this interaction is that hypocrites breed hypocrites. A man of God, instead, hides nothing, for his heart is attuned to what he has been taught from Scripture and from his godly mentors. He demonstrates his faith by how his heart leads him along all paths of life.
A man of God not only guards his heart, but he also guards his time in God’s Word. His approach to Scripture includes quality, distraction-free time covered in prayer.
Prayer serves as a man of God’s most important daily communication. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “Pray Continually”, so prayer is the first step built on Scripture’s foundation.
The foundation of Scripture study and prayer builds a man’s trust in God because, in both, the man of God gains personal knowledge of his heavenly Father and of His plans. With this solid footing, a man of God can faithfully lead others in godly living by example and by teaching. The example he displays to his family has eternal benefits as they learn from him.
How can a Man of God lead his family and in his community?
An active man of God should strive to be as godly a man as possible. He gains his greatest counsel from the Word of God and in fellowship with other godly men.
A man of God, who leads his family and in his community well, will:
- Love God above all else and spend quality time in the Word and in prayer.
- Love his wife as Christ loves the church and will demonstrate Christlike character in his role as husband (Ephesians 5:25).
- Love his children and teach them the ways of following Christ (Proverbs 22:6).
- Love his church family and serve alongside them, within the church and within their community.
- Not be a workaholic. While work may be fulfilling, it should not be all-consuming of his time and energy.
- Be a wise steward of God’s resources.
- Be balanced in service so no one suffers a lack of his love and leadership.
- Disciple young men and encourage other church members
- Avoid the very appearance of evil and wrong-doing.
- Seek first God’s will, wisdom, kingdom, and righteousness.
How does one grow into a Man of God?
The first action a man must take is to receive salvation by surrendering in faith and repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ. As a new believer, a man should seek a Bible-based church with which to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. Without the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, it’s impossible for anyone to please God or be a Godly example for others.
A man of God trusts the Lord to grow him. In today’s world, a man of God stands out in bold contrast to the dominant culture which is full of false teachers. He does pretty much everything opposite to what the world does or approves of; he goes “against the grain” of society because he knows these things displease God. It’s important for a man of God to sharpen his discernment as he interacts with our culture.
He must take practical steps to deepen his faith and grow in spiritual maturity. Having a mentor, an accountability group, and immersing himself in prayer contribute to becoming a man of God.
In closing, a man of God surrenders his entire being to his Creator, centers his life around God’s word, walks in the Spirit, and upholds truth with love and courage. By trusting in Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection, he gains the power to live righteously and the assurance of eternal life. Thus, his deepest aim becomes to glorify God in everything. It should be the desire of every man of God to stand before the Lord one day and hear, “Well done, My faithful servant.”
-Eric
Corby Shuey 